Mayonaka no X Giten
4

Silent Confession

<TL/N: The original title of this chapter is “Silence Regret,” but it’s written with kanji meaning “Silent Confession.” Since “Silent Confession” actually makes sense in context, I decided to use that. >

p2: ==================================The person who used my body…is someone who murdered three family members for fun…?

…Yes.Once I switched bodies, when I opened my eyes, I saw…

the inside of a prison.

So of course I rushed over to a mirror.Reflected in the glass was a face I had seen before.

p3: ==================================Everyone was talking about the guy a little while ago. You know, the serial killer who was still a minor?/ Of course, the news didn’t publish his name or face,but pictures of him and his identity were all over the ‘Net.

His name’s Kirishima Sachi.

p4: ==================================Kirishima Sachi, age 18. His was a family of five: two parents, an elder brother, and a little sister.His grades were always at the top of the class; some even called him a prodigy./ He and his family got along well. They were even famous in their neighborhood for how close they all were.

But one day, Kirishima murdered everyone in his family, save for his sister.

He repeatedly stabbed his family with a kitchen knife kept in his house./ The sister was pretty badly wounded, apparently, but somehow she managed to survive.Now, what do you think Kirishima told the police when they arrested him?

p5: ==================================He said, “I was curious to see how people would react when the person they trusted the most suddenly attacked them.”

So, well… Given what happened,don’t you think that’s really similar to what happened at your place?!!

p6: ==================================So in other words…[sfx]: Clench…

Doing so…because she trusted me, her brother, and had gotten to close to me…

[inset]: Mmnya?

He had me suddenly attack her…?!

p7: ==================================just so he could see the look on her face? That’s why he killed her?!! What the heck…? It was for that stupid a reason?!/ If I just hadn’t done something so dumb, my sister would still be…!!

However… That’s why, with my own two hands, I have to—H… Hey! Where’re you going?!

To get revenge, obviously!

[sfx]: Smack!

What are you, stupid?!/ Get revenge? How?! The guy’s in prison right now!W… Well…

p8: ==================================And besides, you don’t know anything about switching souls… Nothing about Cross Acts,/ nor about the Cross Abilities you can use after switching, right?“Cross Act”? Cross… Ability”? Huh?

So let’s bundle all that stuff together and leave it to me.Huh?Don’t “huh” me.

B—Basically…!I’m saying I’m going to help you with your sister!

Huh…? Err…

p9: ==================================I don’t have any money.

[sfx]: Smack!

There’s nothing I hate more in the worldthan a debt.I knew that was coming…

And I figure I owe you.And owing someone is kinda like being in their debt, right?

So, you’re paying me back?…Well… Pretty much, yeah.

To be honest, there’s a ton of stuff I wouldn’t be able to understand on my own, so I’m glad you’re helping…But right now, I’m a murderer… If anyone finds out what we’re doing, wouldn’t that put your position as an idol in jeopardy? You dummy. What are you saying?

p10: ==================================That happens, I’ll play the tragic heroine/ and tell them all the mean serial killer threatened me.

Haha… I get it.Then I guess you’d actually get more fans, not fewer.

But aren’t you super busy?‘Course I am!/ So you better come to me the second I call!Seriously…?

This is a place where idols can come looking like themselves without worrying about everything they say being leaked./ The barkeep, called the Iron Mouth, is famous for his tight lips.…Isn’t he just hard-of-hearing?[sfx]: Scrape

Anyways, let’s start with Cross Acts.

I don’t know who started it in the first or how it works,/ but one day, I suddenly got a text inviting me to “exchange my soul and body.”[bg]: Would you like to exchange your soul and body?The same thing happened to me…

p14: ==================================How many people do you think would shell out lots of moneyif they knew an idol as big as me were participating in the ritual?[bg, inset]: Oh. Whooa~…That makes sense…

I kinda get how it would make you money…/ but it’s random. What if you got unlucky and someone dangerous used your body?!I mean, you were so upset over thinking you lost your v… [faint]virginity…[/faint], right?

Actually, it’s not random.

Really think for a second about what you saw. Didn’t each of the doors look different?!

p15: ==================================Each person’s body is linked with a certain-shaped door.

In other words, as long as I know the right door, I can choose/ whose body I enter.

That’s why I’ve always made sure to enter the Cross Act together with a friend that I trustand rush to exchange bodies with her/ before anyone else can get in.

But… She was a little slow that day, so there were already eight participants and she couldn’t join…/ …And then, well, this happened... Yeah.So that’s what you do…

I know you! You’re Makina Kaede-chan!You joined BKR during its third season, and you’re Miku-Miku’s junior, right? I’m a fan!![sfx]: Squeeze

Thank you very much.[sfx]: Smile…Wow… Idols really are cute…

Wait… Shoot. I have to try doing what Mikuriya-san suggested…“My Cross Ability is Silent Confession. You activate it continuously staring into a person’s eyes for 30 seconds…”

Makina-san? Can I borrow you for a second?…”San”?“Keep looking, and…”

p18: ==================================Who’s this boy?![upper left]: I thought I’d finally gotten to be alone with my Sempai!Argh, this sucks…Couldn’t you just up and die?YEAH! DIE!!Sempai’s a total angel <3I want to *BEEP* her *BEEP with my *BEEP* so much <3Oh… Maybe it’d be nice if Sempai *BEEP*ed me? <3[note for above two lines: the “beeps” are in their own little bubbles]

[inset]: {Wah -- She’sa total pervert}

Huh? / You wouldn’t happen to…

have switched bodies with Sempai, have you?[sfx, on right]: Dripping with sweat[sfx, in middle]: Stare![sfx, on left]: Pfft…I am.

This here is Makina Kaede, my junior…You know, the one I mentioned before, who I always swap bodies with.[sfx]: Hmph!

…Well, you see how she is. So I can absolutely trust her not to harm my body in a…/ certain sense of the word. I’m the only one who can go inside Sempai![sfx]: :P

p20: ==================================Anyways, you understand Cross Abilities now?Basically,/ by entering another’s body, you can use their body’s latent, special abilities, right…?

Exactly.[diagram]: {[white areas]: Soul (Seal)[black areas]: Ability[below the first image]: The seal fits perfectly[below the second]: The seal doesn’t match[next to the arrows]: It leaks out[bottommost]: Ability is usablePeople naturally have a special ability; however, the soul normally acts as a seal, so you can’t use it./ However, by switching souls—switching seals—some of the ability leaks out, allowing you to use it… That’s basically how it works.

So my body has a Cross Ability, too?Of course it does.

You have one, she has one,/ everyone has their own, different ability.[above Kaede]: Heh-hemWell… Her ability is pretty awful, so I won’t explain it………

However, a Cross Ability always has some condition to activate it.As I told you earlier, mine, Silent Confession, requires you to look someone in the eye for 30 seconds./ Then you can begin to read their mind.

p21: ==================================When I entered your body, I wasn’t able to figure out what the activating condition was…That/ means your Cross Ability is currently unknown.

One thing I’ve heard is that, apparently,/ a Cross Ability’s power is supposed to be able to get something the body’s owner really wants.

If we can figure out what you really want, maybe we can determine your Cross Ability.What do I really want…?

…Could it be? Could that Cross Ability have been used…to help kill my sister…?[sfx]: Clench!

p22: ==================================Ahem.

So then, Sempai, what’s the real reason you called me here?Oh, that’s…

Your father has connections with the police or detectives or something, right?Uh, yes, he does.

Can you use that power…/ to let us visit a certain individual who’s currently in prison?You don’t mean…

p23: ==================================A few days later

I must ask that you speak of this to absolutely no one.

Diet member Makina recommended you as his friends,/ so I’ve made an exception and allowed you to see him.Yes, sir.

Also, before you do, there’s one think I need to warn you about.

Don’t talk to him… to Kirishima Sachi for too long.

p24: ==================================After the incident, a counselor, an investigator, an attorney, and two guards, all of whom had long conversations with him…/ have been put on administrative leave.!!With that said, please, wait inside.Thank you very much..

…The guy seems freaking dangerous,/ but Kamiya, you know what we have to do, right? …Yeah.

p25: ==================================I have to look Kirishima Sachi in the eye for 30 seconds and read his mind.Exactly… Then we can confirm whether or not Kirishima’s the one who killed your sister.

[sfx]: Creak

[sfx]: Step x3He’s here…

…You’re…

Kirishima… Sachi…

p26: ==================================Good day.

p27: ==================================So, are you the “friends” who wanted to see me?

If I can stare at his eyes for 30 seconds, I’ll know the answer immediately!

Just 20 more seconds.

10 left.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1………..isI can hear him…………!

p28: ==================================[sfx]: Bam!!

If someone as pretty as you stares at me like that,I’ll blush.

…Or, perhaps, can you see something different?He… He knows?!

Heh heh… You two have swapped bodies, haven’t you??!

p29: ==================================Could you stop using such roundabout ways to investigate me?That you’ve swapped bodies makes you my companions, in a manner of speaking.

Is there some sort of trouble?/ You can tell me about it.I’ll do whatever I can to help.

It… certainly does seem impossible to read his mind…

I see… Your sister was killed… How unfortunate.

OK. I’ll tell you everything I know.You know something?!

p30: ==================================However!That’s only if you fulfill a request of my own… OK?

I want to leave this place—just for one day.There’s something I left behind on the outside.

Hey,/ one of you lend me your body.If you do, then I’ll do whatever you say.[insert]: Where does this reckless negotiation lead?!